Meal Plan Ideas for the Beautifully Chaotic Home

Cooking with littles underfoot is… an adventure. Some nights it feels like I’m competing on a game show where the timer is ticking and the floor is lava. Someone’s always asking for a snack mid-chop, or trying to “help”; I calm my heart and breath by gently reminding myself they’re learning by watching—how we prep, taste, share, and even how we mess up and pivot. When I can, I hand over a safe task: stirring, pouring, tearing herbs, dish washing. It slows things down (sometimes a lot), but it also turns dinner into a shared rhythm instead of just a to-do.

Below are a few favorites from our kitchen to yours—some on regular rotation, some for when we want to level up from survival mode to semi-fancy. They’re a mix of cozy, practical, and snack-the-ingredients-as-you-go approved. I hope they spark some hope for your weekly meals.

Highlight: Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs

Recipe via Half Baked Harvest

This dish is pure magic. Deep, rich, slow-cooked flavor that feels like a hug in meal form. It’s not an everyday meal (unless you’re fancier than we are), but it’s our go-to when we want something cozy and indulgent. Bonus: it’s all done in one pot. My trusty cast iron pan gets pulled out multiple times a week, but it especially shines for this. Affordable, aesthetic, and reliable—like the Subaru of cookware.

Weekly Meal Ideas

Breakfast

I try to aim for high-protein, veggie-inclusive breakfasts. Australia taught me that vegetables can belong on a breakfast plate—so I sneak in some zucchini, mushrooms, or asparagus when I can.

• Smoothie with plain yogurt, banana, peanut butter, a few dark chocolate chips (because we’re not monsters), ice, ashwagandha, and maca root powder.

• Scrambled eggs, toast, and breakfast sausage. Add veggies if you’re feeling bold.

• Hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese, and sausage—quick, protein-packed, and almost no mess.

Honestly, the most annoying part of breakfast is doing the dishes.

Lunch

In my opinion, anything goes for lunch. Leftovers, sandwiches, salads, or just whatever you can plate while standing with a toddler hanging off one leg.

• Leftovers of any kind—don’t overthink it. Yesterday’s dinner is today’s win.

• Baked feta with olives, pine nuts, and chili flakes. Scoop with pita crackers, cucumbers, or a spoon if it’s been that kind of day.

• Salads with leftover meat: lettuce, protein (chicken, turkey, shrimp, salmon), cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, celery, sunflower seeds… you get the vibe.

• Poor man’s nachos – melt cheese over tortilla chips and dip in salsa. A classic.

• Chicken salad on fresh bread or scooped with pita chips. Chicken, mayo, grapes, walnuts... delicious.

• Avocado toast leveled up with roasted chickpeas, pickled onions, tomatoes, and some kind of protein.

Dinner

Dinner is where we try to slow things down and cook something everyone will (hopefully) eat. Here are a few of our weeknight staples:

Chicken Tikka MasalaSurprisingly simple. We use a simmer sauce from Whole Foods, toss in chicken, serve it over rice, and add a green veggie. Sometimes we make homemade naan (just Greek yogurt and flour!). Fancy-ish but low effort.

Red Curry (Veggie or Meat)Start by stir-frying frozen Asian veggies, add your protein, toss in a good curry paste, garlic, ginger, coconut milk. Serve over rice or quinoa. Bonus points: this can be a slow cooker meal if you plan ahead. Which we sometimes do!

Homemade Pizza NightThis is a once-a-week ritual. Make your own dough if you’ve got time (it’s easier than it sounds), or use soft shell tortillas for a quick base—especially great for kid-sized pizzas.Pizza Dough Recipe:

• 1.5 cups warm water

• 2 tsp instant yeast

• 2 tsp sugar (or honey)Wait for it to froth, then mix with:

• 3 cups flour

• 2 tsp salt

• 2 tbsp olive oil

Let it rise until doubled, roll it out, top with your faves. We like mozzarella, parmesan, salami, red onion, black olives, chili flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake at 450°F for 15–20 minutes.

Mediterranean Smorgasbord

Lay it all out and let people build their own: thinly sliced seared beef, hummus, chickpeas, olives, pickled red onion, toasted pine nuts, and pita. Low effort, high flavor, and kids will actually eat it. Miracle.

Whether you’re a planner, a last-minute scrambler, or somewhere in between, I hope this gives you a few fresh ideas. And if you’ve got little ones wrapped around your legs while you stir a pot with one hand and answer a hundred snack requests with the other: I see you, and I salute you.